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Google is rolling out a new feature in Contacts version 4.88.28.981523105 that lets users include their custom Calling Card data when exporting or sharing a .vcf contact file. The update also adds a 'View archived info' section that logs previous versions of a user's 'Your info' data.
An Entrepreneur contributor cites data showing 47% of calls to U.S. businesses arrive outside traditional 9-to-5 hours, and argues many companies fail to answer them. The piece recommends using 24-hour answering services, on-call staff rotations, and self-service options to capture leads generated during off-hours.
Michael Gnagy, a Google product manager, says businesses can improve visibility on Search and Maps by connecting their Google Business Profile to Gemini and by posting content directly to the profile rather than relying solely on Instagram Stories. He explains Gemini can analyze a listing's photos, videos and reviews and answer owners' natural-language questions about what needs attention. Gnagy also notes that ephemeral content like Instagram Stories often isn't indexed by Google, while direct posts can appear on both Search and Maps.
Google's new Home speaker acts as a Gemini-powered voice assistant that also handles multi-room music playback without requiring any subscription beyond a music streaming service. It works with Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and Amazon Music, and is set up and controlled through the redesigned Google Home app, which also supports speaker groups and moving audio between rooms. The speaker uses a single 58mm driver, making it noticeably quieter and less clear than pricier alternatives like Sonos' Era 100, though two units can be paired for stereo sound.
Android Authority found new elements activated in version 17.62.9 of the Google app, including a selector to toggle the Gemini overlay between standard Chat mode and a Spark-related Task mode. The update also surfaces a bell icon for quick access to recent conversations and a still-inactive Proactive Assistance icon, alongside a browser-switching option for Gemini Spark tasks.
Amazon is selling the 41mm LTE version of the Google Pixel Watch 4 for $329.95, down $120 from its $449.95 list price, a 27% discount. The company describes it as the lowest price the smartwatch has reached since launch.
Android Headlines has published leaked renders of Google's upcoming Pixel 11a, showing a design similar to the Pixel 10a with a slightly reshaped camera module and four color options including black, silver, green, and purple. The leak also details specs including a Tensor G6 chip, MediaTek modem, Titan M3 security chip, 8GB RAM, a 6.3-inch display with 3,350 nits peak brightness, and a battery estimated around 5,000mAh.
Google's support documentation for its new Googlebook lineup reveals that Chromebooks purchased today will stop receiving updates in 2034, two years short of the ten-year support commitment Google has advertised. Google says it will help eligible Chromebooks migrate to the new Googlebook OS, but details on which devices qualify and how migration will work have not yet been released.
A malformed payload sent to Google's Analytics for Firebase SDK caused widespread launch crashes across thousands of iOS apps starting the evening of September 28. Google engineer Nick Cooke said a fix was fully rolled out by 7:52pm Pacific that day, with lingering crashes from caching expected to clear within four hours, requiring no action from developers or users.
Google is bringing the Contacts tab back to the bottom navigation bar of its Phone by Google app, reversing a change made last year that moved it into a sidebar menu. The change is currently visible only to some beta users running version 240.0.98, and it did not appear consistently across all devices tested by Android Authority.
The Google Pixel 8, launched in 2023 at $700, is now available refurbished on Amazon for under $300. Google promised the phone seven years of OS and security updates, meaning it remains eligible for Android updates until roughly 2030. It features a 6.2-inch 120Hz OLED display, a dual rear camera system with 50MP wide and 12MP ultrawide sensors, and AI photo tools like Magic Editor and Best Take.
Renders attributed to leaker OnLeaks and published by Android Headlines show a Pixel 11A that looks nearly identical to the Pixel 9A and 10A, aside from a slightly rounder rear camera module and the same thick display bezels. A separate report from Mystic Leaks claims the phone will upgrade to Google's Tensor G6 chip, replacing the Tensor G4 used in the previous two A-series models. Android Headlines also reports the device will come in black, silver, green, and purple.